Fluffy Quinoa Almond Pancakes

This weekend, I am cleaning out my freezer, pantry and so forth, trying to use those odd ingredients I have stuck away for whatever reason. I ran across this package of quinoa flour and decided pancakes sounded the easiest and most appropriate for a lazy stay-home morning.

This recipe is a modification of several recipes I often use and the pancakes turned out LOVELY!!! Better yet, I think(?) quinoa is gluten free, should anyone need that option.

Quinoa-Almond Pancakes

2 cups quinoa flour
2 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 cup coconut oil, melted
1/2 cup raw almonds (or almond meal)
1 cup warm soy or rice milk
1 cup warm water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon light molasses or brown rice syrup

In a mixing bowl, whisk together quinoa flour, baking powder, and baking soda. In your blender or food processor, grind nuts to a fine powder, scraping the sides several times. This will take a while. (skip that step if you have almond meal, obviously) Add to blender or processor: milk, water, vanilla extract, lemon juice, and molasses.
Blend 3 to 4 minutes. Pour liquids over dry ingredients and whisk a few times, eliminating lumps. If batter is too thick, add water as necessary.

Pour a scant 1/4 cup of batter onto hot non-stick, or lightly greased griddle (heated until water dances on it) for each pancake. Turn when bubbles appear on edges and pancake is starting to brown. Cook until done to your liking.

As always, pancake recipes need a little personal "tweaking" - the batter can be made thicker or thinner, depending on your personal preference.

Happy President's Day Pancakes

In honor of George Washington and the cherry tree and President's Day and all that sort of thing. I don't make these often enough, because I never seem to have dried cherries and almonds in my cupboard at the same time, but they really are worth it. I love the flavors of almonds and cherries together!!

(Sorry for the horrid photo, some days just are NOT picture-taking days around here...)

You can make a cherry-syrup with canned, dark cherries if you want, My kids prefer a little powdered sugar. I don't always make heart-shaped pancakes, I have little luck with them (as you can see from my picture), but since it was a lazy, happy, sleep-in vacation day and just past Valentine's I decided to attempt some creativity and indulge my kids.

Cherry-Almond Pancakes

1/2 cup dried cherries

1/2 tsp almond extract

1/2 cup blended silken tofu

1 1/4 cups soy milk

1 Tbsp. melted margarine

2 cups all-purpose flour or whole wheat pastry flour or a mixture that you like

4 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup raw almonds, ground to a paste with 2 tablespoon sugar in food processor

Chop dried cherries coarsely. Pour enough hot (almost boiling) water over them to just cover. Add almond extract and stir well. Let sit 10 min. while mixing rest of ingredients.

Mix liquid ingredients (tofu, milk, margarine) in one bowl and the dry ingredients (flour, soda, salt, almonds) in another.

Gradually add liquids to dry until well mixed. Add more soymilk if batter is too thick, more flour if batter is too thin. Drain cherries very well (I actually squeeze them with my hand a bit) and add to pancake batter.

Heat griddle or large nonstick skillet over medium heat until hot; oil griddle.

Ladle batter by scant 1/4 cupfuls onto griddle, spreading to 4-inch rounds. Cook 2 1/2 minutes or until bubbles break surface of pancakes. Turn; cook 2 minutes or until golden brown. Place in oven to keep warm while cooking remaining pancakes

More "Pumpkin-y-ness"...

Just made these for breakfast this morning. The Sprouts loved 'em! (Tried to post the photo I took, but I may have to come back to that tomorrow.)

PUMPKIN PANCAKES WITH CIDER SYRUP

WARM CIDER SYRUP:
3/4 cup apple cider or juice
1/2 packed brown sugar
1/2 cup corn syrup
2 Tbs Earth Balance margarine
1/2 tsp lemon juice
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
1/8 tsp ground cinnamon

PANCAKES:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 Tbs sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/8 tsp ground cloves
3 tsp Ener-G egg replacer
4 tbs warm water
1 1/3 cup soy milk
1/4 cup canned pumpkin
2 Tbs canola oil

Instructions:------------

SYRUP:In a saucepan, combine all the syrup ingredients.
Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally.

Reduce heat simmer uncovered for about 20 minutes until slightly thickened. Let cool for 30 minutes before serving. Syrup will thicken as it cools.

Any syrup you don't use can be stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator. Just warm it in the microwave for 1 minute before serving. If it gets too thick you can add a little more cider to thin it.

PANCAKES:Sift together all dry pancake ingredients except for egg replacer.
In another bowl whisk together the pumpkin, soy milk and oil.

Mix together egg replacer and water and stir it in with the pumpkin mixture. Stir dry ingredients in with wet ingredients.

Ladle batter onto a hot greased griddle. Turn when the bubbles on the top start to pop and the outer edge of the pancake starts to look set.
Serve with Earth Balance margarine and warm cider syrup.

Don't be tempted to add extra pumpkin. Too much pumpkin will cause the pancakes not to cook all the way through. Also they may take a little longer too cook than traditional style pancakes so be patient and wait till the sides start to look a little cooked and the bubbles on top actually start popping.

The cider syrup is very sweet. A little bit goes a long way, so don't pour too much on at once.